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Podarcis muralis (male)


Podarcis muralis (male)
Photo Information
Copyright: Catherine Dijon (CatherineD) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 861 W: 57 N: 4006] (14097)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2010-09-11
Categories: Reptiles
Camera: Canon EOS 40 D, Canon EF 100 mm F2.8 Macro USM
Exposure: f/13.0, 1/160 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2010-09-12 11:47
Viewed: 3583
Favorites: 2 [view]
Points: 46
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note [French]
Some people are crazy of sandy beaches or snowy mountains. For me, it is the company of certain animals… :), including lizards. I spent some hours with a small gang of Common wall lizards. They are living near the railways. Last time I visited them (on July 18), they were only one or two babies. On Saturday, I saw several juveniles. Juveniles are easy to approach and even to touch. The female are shyer, but with some patience, I could go very close. The male are very shy and suspicious. But after a while and some personal tactic to approach them, I could take some close-up. Here is an adult male.

Podarcis muralis (Laurenti, 1768)
Family : Lacertidae
Common Wall Lizard [En], Lézard des murailles [Fr], Muurhagedis [Nl], Lucertola muraiola [It]

The common wall lizard is a small, thin lizard whose small scales are highly variable in colour and pattern. Its coloration is generally brownish or greyish, and may occasionally be tinged with green. In some individuals the row of spots along their back may form a line, while others may have a reticulated pattern with dark spots on the side and scattered white spots that can be blue in the shoulder region. The tail is brown, grey or rust in colour, and may also have light bars on the sides. The belly region has 6 rows of larger rectangular scales that are generally reddish, pink, or orangish. Common wall lizards may also have dark markings on the throat.
They are robust and have a long yet narrow pointed head, their limbs are long and sometimes quite slender, their tail is quite long, sometimes up to twice the size of the body.
They vary quite a bit in pattern, from brownish-greens to browns with spots and blotches of all sorts. Males are more marked then females who are often uniform with maybe a line running down the back.

Habitat: The common wall lizard prefers rocky environments, including urban settings where it can scurry between rock, rubble, debris and buildings.

Range: The natural range spans mainland Europe, including central Spain, southern Belgium, and the Netherlands. It occurs as introduced populations in southern Britain, and also in North America.
In Wallonia, railways constitute valuable habitats for reptile conservation. Some of these species – specifically Podarcis muralis– have most probably colonized new regions through unexpected transportation by merchandise cars.

References:
Wikipedia/Wall lizard
Graitson, E., 2006. Distribution and ecology of reptiles on the rail network in Wallonia, Bulletin de la Société Herpétologique de France.
eqshannon, bahadir, rousettus, boreocypriensis, CeltickRanger, Miss_Piggy, meyerd, goldyrs, haraprasan, montivipera, horia, maurydv, jaycee, tuslaw has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To meyerd: HelloCatherineD 1 09-13 02:32
To Ozgur70: MerhabaCatherineD 1 09-12 23:44
To boreocypriensis: My tactic...CatherineD 2 09-12 15:21
To bahadir: Thanks!CatherineD 1 09-12 14:45
To eqshannon: HarmlessCatherineD 1 09-12 12:22
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Catherine.
What a wonderful picture of this lizard taken from an excellent POV in a nice composition with eye contact, very good sharpness and natural colours.
Regards,
Mircea

My tendency was to call you Bayram.

I know not whether we have any lizards in my location. If we do I have not seen nor heard. And here, going with your words in notes, it does give a suspicious nature to this creatures eyes. So if it takes measures I am assuming it is not truly dangerous, just protective? Overall a good lesson!
Bob

Hello Catherine
So, your favourite animals are lizards. And it seems that you capture them very very well, like this one. I really like the focus on the entire body and the out-focus stones. Everything in such wanderful colors and perfect sharpness.
My kind regards
Oana

Owwww.. this is superb shot of a male wall lizard Catherine!
The marginal green plates just wonderful. Great work.
TFS and kind regards,
Bahadır

merhaba Catherine
this is really great shot of handsome P. muralis on wall, with nice eye contact. The biotop is very suitable for its name. you greatly captured it with great sharp details of focus, POV/DOF and light using. nicely composed and gently framed. thanks for sharing this great image with good informative notes. çok teşekkür ederim. iyi akşamlar.
Ahmet

hello Catherine
beautiful pose with great details and good sharpness
the colours are beautiful
thanks to give my the name
greeting lou

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 260 N: 15594] (50626)
  • [2010-09-12 12:46]

Hello Catherine,
A superb portrait of this male Common Wall Lizard. I wish we had this species in Sweden! The pose on the wall is great and taken from an optimum POV with excellent sharpness, colours and lighting with an ideal composition.
Nice to view1
Thanks and have a good week,
Ivan

Ahhhh... what a handsome boy! A bit blacky one:) The match has just finished and we lost:( This image put a big smile on my face as well as Bob's comment:)
Your 1st sentence also! Hehe... Amazingly beautiful capture MF! Congrats on this! I also read your reply to Bob! and i like of course! Just i wonder your personal tactic to close these beauties?
TFS and have a nice night/week dear Cat! :d
Cheers,

Bayram

Very great photo of an animal common to see, but made to perfection.Colour, perfect definition of the scales and of the wall, contact of eyes.What else to say...the first of my favorite ones.

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 6595 W: 89 N: 15659] (65489)
  • [2010-09-12 14:41]

Salut Catherine,quelle curieuse expression du visage et quelle etrange position aussi.Une capture excellente avec une qualite' des details extraordinaire,orjamais je pense d'avoir perdu les papillons dans ta galerie,Bayram docet...ehehe...Bonne semaine et merci! LUCIANO

bonjour Catherine

une superbe image de ce lézard, avec un excellent POV et cadrage,
superbement focusé avec d'excellentes nettetés et détails,
une superbe lumière, joli contact visuel du sujet, TFS

Asbed

great closeup, greeitngs Ori

A lovely composition.
I really curious about your personal tactics.
TFS.

Hallo Catherine
I have seen many of your beautiful photos and visited your portfolio a few times. This picture is of high standard and indeed a stunning macro shot, and definitely deserves high marks. It is a splendid photo. I love it. I admire and appreciated talent when I see it, and you definitely have talent. No wander you are so popular around the site. Thanks for sharing this beautiful Lizard with its pretty colours and markings. Best regards.
Anna

Hi Catherine,
what an extraordinary tale to an extraordinary portrait! I understand two things now: you know how to take superb pictures of lizards and you are an expert in approaching them stealthily. This male Podarcis looks at you full of suspicion, yet you got it, blue-green spots and all! My compliments for this one.

Soon we both will be chasing snow flakes again, the time for dreaming about Greece & Turkey (you) or Turkey & Syria (me) :-)
Have a good week,
Dietrich

A brilliant shot, Catherine!
very nicely presented with excellent lighting and well saturated colours!
cheers!
Goldy

Hi Catherine,
A lovely capture of this beautiful lizard. Excellent sharp details and a nice composition. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Hi Catherine,
Lovely capture of this male wall lizard. The pose is wonderful. TFS.
Nasit

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2158 W: 224 N: 4749] (16656)
  • [2010-09-13 4:52]

Hi Catherine

I have to totally agree with you here - lizards are great company for me too and indeed, after they get used to your presence there, they will pose like professional models :)
Excellent close-up here, with impeccable sharpness and great focus selected on the subject, while letting the BG to become nicely blurred.
I see that your specimen here is a bit darker than what i used to find here, but it's probably because it's more to the north and thus needs to capitalize on the sun's heat better.
Anyway, lovely work in all aspects.

Bravo and TFS
Horia

Ciao Catherine,
magnifique photo en macro, très bonne netteté et parfaits détails, les couleurs sont très belles, excellent point de vue avec une merveilleuse luminosité dans l'oeil
Merci et félicitations
Bonne journée
Amicalement
Maurizio

Ciao Catherine, fantastic portrait of lovely lizard, superb details and splendid sharpness. very well done my friend, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
  • [2010-09-13 9:26]

Hello Catherine,
What a fantastic photo. The eye-contact is amazing. Superb sharpness, details and perfect natural colours. Great environment.
Regards,
Peter

  • Great 
  • tuslaw Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2754 W: 282 N: 4931] (19883)
  • [2010-09-17 19:11]

Hello Catherine,
A great frontal shot of this pretty little lizard. I like the green on it's belly and the excellent detail you managed to capture. He seems to be checking you out at the moment, or maybe he is just curious as to what you are doing. I love the way the scales are seen so vividly, and the natural coloration is simply gorgeous. Great work!!
Ron

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